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Posted August 14, 2011 12:00 am - Updated August 13, 2011 10:58 pm

The St. Augustine Record

Travel Briefs: Aug. 14, 2011

Nature program

The fourth Saturday nature program Aug. 27 at Fort Matanzas is "Spiders: the Original Web Masters," a ranger-led program with short walk planned from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Learn about spiders and perhaps discover that they are not so scary after all. Meet at the benches in front of the visitor center. Bring water and dress for the weather.

Tuesday lecture

James Nifong Ph.D graduate student with the biology department, University of Florida, will be the guest speaker at the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve in Marineland, at 11 a.m. Tuesday. His program is titled: "Use of marine and estuarine habitats by American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis)." He will speak on how the American alligator, a dominant apex predator in many freshwater habitats of the southeastern United States, is also known to use saline waters in coastal habitats throughout their native range.

In 2007, Nifong began a study to assess the use of marine habitats by capturing and bringing alligators into his boat for sampling before releasing them back to the wild. He will present findings from Sapelo Island, Ga.; St. Augustine and Cape Canaveral, regarding movement patterns, food habits and ecological interactions in marine and estuarine habitats.

Nifong was awarded a graduate research fellowship from the GTM Research Reserve in 2010.

The southern GTM Research Reserve site is just off A1A at 9741 Ocean Shore Blvd. at the south end of the town of Marineland. For reservations, call 823-4500.

Twilight tours

Specialty tours of Guana are planned in August, including sunset, full moon and astronomy tours. Full moon, astronomy and sunset tours offered throughout the month, with a percentage of all tour proceeds going directly to the Friends of the GTM NERR to assist with their conservation efforts. Cost is $55 per person. Call 347-1565 for reservations or view our calendar atwww.KayakGuana.com

Kayak family tours, with a portion of the proceeds also going to the Friends of the GTM NERR are planned from 9 to 11 a.m. Aug. 15, 17, 23, 24, 25, 30, 31. Cost is $55 for adults, $45 for children ages 6 to 15. Call 347-1565 for reservations.

Ripple Effect Ecotours is a Friends of the GTM Reserve partner vendor. A portion of the proceeds from tours at the GTM Research Reserve benefit the Friends of the GTM Reserve to support their mission to support and enhance environmental education, stewardship of natural and cultural resources, and scientific research of the GTM NERR through volunteer initiatives, citizen involvement, and community partnerships.